"CEOs don’t have time for loyalty"

Hey Folks,

Here's an example of what we're up against. In the first letter below Edythe Turner responded positively to a story in which a company used its brain and heart to try to respect American workers while still making a buck.

She also pointed out that (all the clap-trap about "patriotism" notwithstanding) corporations don't give a damn about America - at least not about the mass of working Americans.

Well, here in Central Ahia, that just doesn't cut it. No. And as sure as the sun rises, some pompous moron ALWAYS replies to set the record straight (see second letter).

Kent Kristy's letter is a good example of what has passed for "informed discourse" on the editorial page of the Columbus Dispatch for the fifty years I've been reading it. That is: ignorance, inaccuracies, incoherence, bluster, propaganda, illogic, and patriotic correctness all smugly full of itself, sounding swell but - beyond announcing the existence of another blind dupe in our presence - meaningless.

I've added comments to Kristy's letter in red.

- Uke Man


Companies should try to help U.S. workers
Monday, December 04, 2006

I respond to the Nov. 24 Associated Press article "Foreign firms tap willing workers in Rust Belt city." I was so encouraged by Williams Lea’s outsourcing effort that I contacted the firm to tell it so.

U.S. companies should be ashamed of themselves for selling out the American people for bigger profit margins and bonuses. Where is their loyalty?

Everyone is patriotic for the U.S. soldier, as they should be, but what about the U.S. worker? Millions of people have lost their jobs so big company pockets can be fuller. I pray that U.S. companies will get their heads straight before they dig a bigger hole in our economy. They need to know that by taking their money out of the United States, they are killing our economic and social structures, not to mention American morale.

EDYTHE TURNER
Columbus


Corporate America not to blame for society’s problems
Saturday, December 09, 2006

I always find it so fascinating how many American people blame corporate America for all the ills of society ("all" the ills? A little overstatement, perhaps?). My parents certainly do it. Makes you wonder if this writer is a sophomore ("wise fool") in some school and living with his parents - whom he aparently lumps with other "fascinating" Americans.

Whether he is or not, this kind of letter appears regularly in the Dispatch, dispatched there by half wits of all ages and educational levels.

Edythe Turner questioned the "loyalty" of U.S. companies to American workers ("Companies should try to help U.S. workers," letter, Monday). The problem with this way of thinking is so simple.To the "simple" minded, perhaps. People equate a company with some family that has been running that company for 150 years. How does he know that, and what is his point in saying it? The truth of the matter is that chief executive officers, board members and power structures within a company change constantly. So? Again what is the point wandering around inside Kent's cranium? There can’t be loyalty when the one thing a CEO can do to keep his job is increase a company’s stock price. OK, there's a point: CEO's jobs are to keep their jobs; so, they can't be loyal to workers; they have to please higher ups who don't care about loyalty to anything but sales, profit, and stock value - as he asserts below.

Profit helps, but if the stock price can go up without profit, that CEO is successful. CEOs don’t have time for loyalty. Say Company XYZ hires a new CEO, and he comes in and raises everyone’s salary by 10 percent and gives every employee a $5,000 holiday bonus. The employees all feel better for a few days or weeks.

Great, but that doesn’t affect sales. And it decreases profit and, likely, the stock price. So, what board member and stock owner of that company would be happy about the actions of that CEO? Kent seems to equate the "company" with the CEO. Edythe was critical of the COMPANY. Nice little twist there, Kent: the company can't be "loyal" to workers because the CEO would have to demonstrate that loyalty, but the company would fire him if he did. It is similar with [sic] the U.S. government. You would think after 230 years, the U.S. government would run smoothly. But the only constant in life is change. Here we go again with "change," and what is the point of bringing in the government? Does it not have time for loyalty to American workers either?

The people in power change, the environments change, economies change, citizens change — the whole world changes. And Edythe is asking corporations to change as well. Kent seems to be arguing that corporations can't change because they are always changing. Politics, world trade, stock markets, financial institutions, debt, wages, etc. — they are all very complicated. But Kent says above, "The problem with this way of thinking [asking for loyalty] is so simple." Hmmmm ... Turner, and so many other Americans, see this as a simple issue: Companies should keep U.S. workers and pay them more money. That sounds great. And I don’t disagree. He agrees, but it's just impossible because corporations will fire CEO's and run-off politicians who are loyal to workers; as he says here:

The problem is, any CEO or politician who thinks in such simple terms isn’t likely to hold his job very long. Again, he's fascinated by Edythe for foolishly blaming corporations for the mistreatment of America and its workers because, as is simple and clear, being loyal would get the CEO fired (by the corporation). In other words, I’d love to win the lottery; reality teaches me that is probably not going to happen. I have to deal with, and adjust to, the changes, situations, obstacles and opportunities that the current world environment offers me. At last a real position !! He's quit talking about undeserved blame and gotten to the point. Essentially he says: It will be a cold day in hell before corporations (or government for that matter) give a damn about workers. So, shut up and adjust !! Be satisfied with whatever you get stuck with.

Our government isn’t perfect, and corporate America isn’t perfect; however, it is my feeling that they are the best in the world. I’m a proud American, and always will be. That's all well and good, but I hope he won't always be as ignorant and confused as he is right now.

- Uke Man

KENT KRISTY Reynoldsburg